The average American commutes 27 minutes each way to work, according to Census Bureau data released in 2019. Whether it’s by bus, train, car, or subway, that means most of us spend at least an hour a day in some form of vehicle, five hours a week, or twenty hours a month on our way to and from school. That’s a decent chunk of commute time we could be putting to good use.

Most teachers hate wasting even a minute of time because our days are so busy. Luckily, there are ways to maximize your commuting time so that you can gain an extra hour a day of productivity. Whether you commute on public transportation or drive yourself to work, here are 16 ways you make the most out of your drive to and from school.

Brainstorm

Use the “notes” app on your phone to record a brainstorming session for one! Record yourself making lists such as:

  • What I’m looking forward to when the pandemic is over
  • Dinner ideas and recipes to try
  • New concepts to try in the classroom
  • Friends I want to invite to a Zoom party
  • Possible themes of said Zoom party

Eat some veggies!

Most of us fall short on our vegetables servings each day. Chop up some individual services of raw veggies at the start of the week. Munch on them on your way to and from work.

Audiobooks/podcasts

Listening to something fun or educational, depending on your fancy, is an easy way to pass the time during your commute. Sure, you could turn on the radio or listen to the same old music you’ve got downloaded. After a while, though, the same 40 songs get old. The solution is to turn to audiobooks or podcasts. Podcasts are short audio shows – some are funny, some are educational, but most fit nicely into a half-hour time frame. Click here for a list of 25 podcasts perfect for teachers.

Audiobooks, on the other hand, will keep you entertained for weeks as you make your way through all those books you’ve been meaning to read. Audible is a subscription service that allows you to download any book you want, but in my opinion, you can get the same bang for your buck (read: free) by downloading audiobooks through your local public library.

Start your own podcast – just for fun!

Download Anchor, a free app that allows you to easily record and distribute your own podcast right from your phone. Record while you’re driving. Talk about anything you want! You can even monetize it to make some extra cash if you want to go public.

Breathe deeply

It sounds almost too simple to be true, but deep breathing is an important part of wellness because it goes a long way toward stress reduction. Practice deep, even breathing while you’re driving. Remember to breathe with the belly – we spend so much of our lives “sucking it in” that we forget to let our bellies loose when breathing. Of course, if you aren’t the driver on your commute, you can take breathing one step further and meditate on your way to work. For guided breathing exercises and meditation, check out these apps. Once you’re comfortable with the practice, you can teach it to your students for a super chill classroom.

Worry

Yeah, this sounds a little crazy, but experts say that one way to reduce overall anxiety is to schedule time to worry. Rather than let persistent worrisome thoughts haunt us all day, it can be effective to set aside a short time period, from five to twenty minutes long, to bring those worries to the surface and work through them. Once your worry time is up, you move on with your day, addressing any new worries during your regularly scheduled worry time. Your commute would be a perfect time to worry about your students in a limited timeframe so they aren’t constantly on your mind.

Practice mental math

Challenge yourself to solve whatever combination comes into your head, such as 24 X 57 or 1,863 – 919. Then ask Siri (or whoever lives in your phone) for the correct answer to check yourself.

Learn a language

When it comes to learning a new language, consistency pays off. It’s more important to do a little every day than a lot all at once, so a daily commute is a perfect time to learn a new language. As always, there’s an app for that. Spotify gives you access to language courses in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Mandarin. Babbel teaches languages in 15-minute chunks, and there’s the always reliable (but expensive) Rosetta Stone software. Focus on a language that will help you communicate more effectively with students and their families.

Listen to your emails

Several apps exist that will read your new emails out loud to you (be aware, though, that they often read everything contained in the email, including signature lines and the “fine print”). Check out Speaking Email or Talker. Thanks to the pandemic, we all know emails to teachers are pouring in fast and furious, so finding some extra time to answer parent questions is more important now than ever.

Practice gratitude

Research shows that the deliberate act of practicing gratitude every day makes us happier. You’ll get the best results if you write down your daily gratitudes, but you can use your car ride to brainstorm the things you are thankful for today. Bonus points if you can list five things about your teaching that you are grateful for on your way home each evening. Practicing gratitude helps us find the bright spots each day, such as the “lightbulb” moment for our students we are always striving for.

Catch up with your loved ones

If you commute with kids or other friends or family, make the car a device-free zone (which goes without saying for the driver) and engage in conversation. If you commute alone, think about using the time for a hands-free call to a loved one you haven’t connected with in a little while.

Just laugh

Just the act of smiling and laughing improves your outlook on life, even if it is forced. Yeah, “fake it ’til you make” it applies here! Force yourself to have some big ‘ol belly laughs on the way to and from school. It will feel silly at first, but you’ll come to enjoy it! You’ll arrive at both places in a better mindset.

Drink a glass of water

Experts recommend we drink about eight glasses of water each day. Lots of us enjoy our daily coffee, tea, or soda on the drive to work, but your commute time might be a perfect place to down the first glass of water of the day. Teachers are pretty much coffee-powered, so drinking a glass of water to and from work can keep you hydrated.

Sing at the top of your lungs

If you commute solo (or with a willing audience) crank up your favorite song and belt it out. No one can hear you, so it doesn’t matter what you sound like. What does matter is that singing out loud is a natural antidepressant. So if a tough day in the classroom has got you down, a drive with the music cranked may be all you need.

Look for green

Seeing greenery is good for mental health! Look at the grass, trees, and plants you pass on your commute.

Isolate those muscles

Hey, those Kegels aren’t going to do themselves, and they only take a few minutes. You can do them while driving or stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Talk about multitasking! If you don’t have the anatomy necessary for Kegels, there are other exercises you can do while driving. Squeeze your tush to work your glute muscles, or clench and unclench the steering wheel to give your arm muscles a mini-workout. You can even exercise your lower abs by pulling your belly button toward your back and squeezing.